Effect of active and passive immunization on the development of experimental Pseudomonas aeruginosa pyelonephritis in mice.

Experimental pyelonephritis was produced in mice by the intravenous injection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Immune response to infection was studied by passive hemagglutination antibody titers. Vaccination of mice with live P. aeruginosa or culture filtrates (Pseudomonas antigen) induced antibodies and resulted in a high degree of protection against death and pyelonephritis following subsequent hematogenous challenge with the homologous strain. Transfer of immune serum protected mice against death following infection with the homologous strain and with a heterologous strain. However, immune serum failed to protect mice from kidney infection by the heterologous strain. These data indicate that immune serum seemed to protect against early, overwhelming bacteremia but did not prevent a chronic course of kidney infection by a heterologous strain.